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Categories (Beta)

Add the category abbreviation after the image name in PhotoVault with a space between:eg:Fishing Boat pcSunset lsPiets Moustache ar

Category Descriptions (Beta)

Category DescriptionsThe following may be used as a broad guideline to the categories:

Pictorial (pc)Pictorial entries include all the subject material, which is not already defined for other categories for e.g.nature, photo travel, etc.Digital manipulation is allowed, provided the end result “looks natural”.

Nature (nt)A nature image is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict observations from all branchesof natural history in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject materialand to certify to its honest presentation. This includes aspects of botany, geology, insects, fauna and flora,but excludes Anthropology and Archaeology.Human elements shall not be present unless, on the rare occasion where human elements enhance the storybut must be unobtrusive. For this reason, animals shown to be in captivity or domestic animals are notaccepted.Photographs of artificially produced hybrid plants or animals, mounted specimens, obviously setarrangements, derivations, or any form of photographic manipulation that alters the truth of thephotographic statements are ineligible.Digital manipulation is not allowed.

Photojournalism (pj)Photojournalism entries shall consist or story telling pictures or sequences such as are seen in the newsmedia, including human interest, documentary and sport news. The images capture events in thephotographer’s time, be they of national importance or local neighbourhood pictures.These images have one thing in common – they must be informative and have emotional impact, usually withhuman interest. The journalistic value of the image will be considered more than the pictorial quality.Images may not misrepresent the truth and therefore, digital manipulation is not allowed.

Portraiture (pr)A portrait arrests our gaze for what it reveals. However, fleeting the moment, the photographer mustconnect with the subject and extend the connection to the audience. Subjects include people, animals,insects etc. The image may be head and shoulders or full figure, but must depict the subject’s character oremotion at that moment. Animal portraits are usually only of the neck and head.Digital manipulation is allowed.

Contemporary/Altered Reality (ar)This category stands apart from the other categories as a form of art and may be defined as a concept whichstimulates the mind of the viewer to interpret the message conveyed through the creative uses of line, formand colour.This definition specifically includes computer generated / manipulated images and covers technique,experimental work or contemporary work. The final result does not have to bear any relation to the originalimage since reality may be altered.Digital manipulation is allowed.

Landscapes (ls)Images covering landscape scenes of land, sea, cloud and cityscapes may be entered in this section.Depictions of these scenes may include human elements or domestic animals.Only images that do not alter the truth of the photographic statement will be eligible.Digital manipulation is not allowed.

Still Life (sl)Inanimate objects pictorially arranged.Digital manipulation is allowed.

Photo travel (pt)Subject matter must portray photo travel. A photo travel entry should capture the feeling of a time and place,and portrays a land, its people, and its culture in its natural state. Ultra close-ups that lose the identity, modelshots or manipulated images do not qualify. Entries should not be limited to geographical areas and mayinclude, but are not limited to other lands or countries and may include those of domestic origin. The keydifferentiation between Photo Travel and other forms of photography is the portrayal of Culture.Digital manipulation is not allowed.

Black & White (bw)A monochrome image is an image consisting of a single colour or shades of that single colour against a neutral background.All black and white images are monochrome images, but not all monochrome images are black and white.For example, a monochrome image might consist of black on yellow.Gray scale is a method of representing black and white images on a computer.Gray scale images are represented using only 256 shades of Gray rather than the full pallet of colours.Digital manipulation is allowed.

Post capture processing and ethics (Beta)

In view of the perceived perception by some that digital photography is synonymous to digital manipulations, itis essential to address the ethics and “rules” of digital manipulations within the various divisions. While theaspect of manipulation or alteration of the “truth” of a photo is by no means unique to a digital image, it is a factthat the digital process allows much greater possibilities with regard to the alteration of the original image.

It is suggested that the “rules” regarding permissible post-processing of digital images be clearly stated and thento leave it to the photographer and his/her own integrity and conscience to abide by the rules. This is suggestedsince it is felt that there are very few practical measures that can be applied to verify whether an image waschanged enough from the “truth of the original scene” to be classified as “altered” or “manipulated”.

Imposing laborious measures to verify the authenticity of an image is likely to be flawed and might in the endonly serve to discourage participants. To add to the complexity of this issue is the fact that it is very difficult toeven try and define “altered” or “manipulated”.

For the sake of practicality, the following post-capture processing procedures performed on a digital image withthe aid of a computer and a digital image editing software package like Adobe Photoshop, within limits, will notbe considered as digital manipulation:

Removal of dust and scratch marks on scanned images or spots from dust particles on the CCD / CMOSsensors of digital cameras.

Adjustment of exposure and contrast, including dodging and burning similar to those techniques that arecommonly used in traditional printmaking.

Adjustment of colour saturation.

Sharpening.

Image Cropping and Horizontal Rotation.

Image Resizing.

Judges realise that some of the above adjustments (e.g. changing the colour balance) can be used in such a wayas to create an unnatural / manipulated look, hence the cautionary reference to “within limits”. However, thepermissible range of use of the above will be almost impossible to quantify and it is thus left to the discretion ofthe photographer.

No additional alterations should be done to images intended for entering in the following divisions:

All nature divisions including zoological and botanical/geological sub-divisions.

Photo journalism divisions.

Photo travel divisions.

As stipulated by the rules applicable to the various other divisions, additional digital alterations will bepermissible to images entered in other sections like the open or pictorial sections. It is further assumed that thedigital image will be original and does not incorporate elements produced by anyone else but the photographer.No copying of any kind of somebody else’s work is permissible.

Photo Resizing for Photovault uploading

Background

As a result of Photovaults rigid photo sizes for specific submissions, we at GBPC who are using this upload platform needed to find the image sizes that would best suit our requirements. The 1600px wide and 1200px in height was the best offered, although it would not be our first choice if we could change the PV configuration ourselves.

Resizing

There are a few things to keep in mind, this will keep the process fairly painless.